Pancreatic Cancer Related to Insulin Resistance

Larry A. Law

Pancreatic cancer is now the third-leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States. New research suggests a link between elevated insulin in combination with a poor diet and obesity could be the reason why. Insulin resistance is a condition where the body’s cells don’t respond effectively to insulin. This is an issue centered on the science of glycobiology. If insulin cell receptors are not being built properly, they don't function properly. If glycans are not in the correct location to form the cells' insulin lock, then the insulin key doesn't fit and the lock isn't opened. 

How Elevated Insulin Causes Pancreatic Cancer

​​The hormone insulin is produced in the pancreas and is designed to prompt cells to pull sugar from the blood to use as energy. But the lock and key have to fit. When the lock doesn't open, the message is not communicated properly. Insulin resistance leads to elevated blood sugar levels and that can cause Type 2 diabetes.

​Insulin resistance tied to obesity and diabetes is a known risk factor for pancreatic cancer. New University of British Columbia (UBC) research published in Cell Metabolism shows how. Excess insulin overstimulates pancreas cells that make digestive juices. This overstimulation initiates inflammation, converting pancreatic cells to a precancerous state. This finding is a major development in understanding what initiates pancreatic cancer. 

Dr. Emily Gallagher of Mount Sinai Health System stated, “It shows the importance of the insulin receptor in regulating digestive enzyme production and inflammation in the pancreas." She also noted that an important follow-on question is how this information could be used to reduce the risk of pancreatic cancer in people with high insulin levels. 

Elevated insulin, or hyperinsulinemia, occurs when insulin levels exceed the normal range. It occurs when the body becomes insulin resistant, that is, when the cells in our muscles, fat, and liver cease responding normally to insulin. Beyond pancreatic cancer, high insulin has been linked to colorectal, breast, endometrial, liver, ovarian, and gastric cancers, Dr. Gallagher said.

Unlike normal cells, cancer cells rely on glucose as their primary energy source as they can’t metabolize fats. Restricting glucose intake through diet can help to starve and eliminate cancer cells. High insulin can predate high blood sugar and diabetes by years, Dr. Gallagher stated. “Therefore, people who have metabolic syndrome, obesity, or prediabetes are at a greater risk of developing cancer due to the higher insulin levels, even in the absence of high blood glucose,” she said.

Prevention

The importance of eating healthy, whole, real foods in smaller portions than typically eaten in America cannot be overstated. Avoiding highly-processed, fake foods is vital. Supplementing with sugar nutrients to ensure that the essential eight sugars are always available in bountiful amounts to build correct cell receptors, so the body can function as it was designed to, is imperative. For more information on nutritional glycobiology and these critical sugars, see my book, There's An Elephant in the Room—Exposing Hidden Truths in the Science of Health.